Cool Cotton
Approximately 12 km from
Andhra Pradesh is well known for its cotton, which is woven across the state. While each weaving district has its own speciality, none of the others can match the versatility and range that is offered by the Mangalgiri weavers. As J Balamba, Manager, Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd., says, “The material is pure cotton. It has a very good range of colours and offers a lot of scope for combinations. Almost everything is woven on the handlooms - dress materials, shirt pieces, double-coloured duppattas (stoles), butis (small woven motifs), stripes, checks, and sarees in an assortment of counts.”
The fabric gets its name from the district where it is woven - Mangalgiri. Such has been its phenomenal success that Mangalgiri cotton and summer literally go hand-in-hand. Some years back, only a select few knew about the versatility of the fabric from this part of the country. Today, the markets are flooded and nearly every shopkeeper and dealer knows it by name. All across the country, from the fabric-centres of
"Unlike other districts, which are strongholds of the saree-tradition, Mangalgiri concentrates on manufacturing fabrics. It is their ability to create innovative colour-combinations in fabrics that most designers swear by.“
Straight off the Loom
Not much is known about the origins of this weaving tradition in this district. What is significant though is that over time, it has become established as an important sourcing ground for fabric. Unlike other districts, which are strongholds of the saree-tradition, Mangalgiri concentrates on manufacturing fabrics (‘dress materials’ in local parlance). It is their ability to create innovative colour-combinations in fabrics that most designers swear by.
Ravi Awasthy, Resident Manager, The Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative (APCO),
"The mangalgiri fabric is available in various counts, starting from the coarser 40s, and going up to the superfine 120s. The fabrics with a higher thread count are almost web-like in appearance. “The fabrics are being used for dresses for export. The counts range from 60 to 120.” - Ravi Awasthy, Resident Manager, The
Count and Colour
Mangalgiri cotton is available in a breathtaking array of colours. It is available as plain fabric, shot cotton, stripes, checks and special weaves. Lepakshi showcases some of the latest innovations in Mangalgiri weaves - the combinations with zari, woven so that it resembles cotton tissue fabric, the normal cotton border, a play with ikat, and tie-and-dye techniques.
Balamba says, “The sheer range which these fabrics offer is unparalleled. Additionally, the attractive use of zari, along with varied colour combinations, makes it even more popular. The fabrics are affordable and the colours do not bleed which adds to its popularity.” The weavers use basic designs but incorporate some striking colour combinations such as baby pink with a magenta border, maroon with mustard stripes, olive green with navy blue and so on. Another speciality of Mangalgiri is the nizam border. The nizam border typically has tiny zari gopurs (temple tops), which run through the borders of many fabrics. But it is in shot cotton that the real magic happens. The weavers map out the warp yarns and then use different colours on the weft to create double shaded 2008fabrics. If the warp threads are yellow, and the weft threads green, red, or orange, the end result is greenish-yellow, sunset orange, or a deep yellow fabric.
The fabric is available in various counts, starting from the coarser 40s, and going up to the superfine 120s. The fabrics with a higher thread count are almost web-like in appearance. Awasthy adds, “The fabrics are being used for dresses for export. The counts range from 60 to 120, and the prices start at Rs 60 to Rs 70 a metre, though they can go up to Rs 1000 for extremely intricate ones.” The price of the fabric is dependent on its quality. The usual norm for order is at least 30 to 40 metres in one colour.
From the loom to the Market
Atrait that sets apart the weavers of Mangalgiri is that most of them are devoted to the craft and yet, have a clear idea about market trends. Unlike other traditional weavers, the weavers here are organised into co-operatives, and have a clear eye on the market.
Another fact that stands out is the capacity of the weavers to experiment. Zari was initially used only on the borders of the fabric. Today it is used in the entire length of the fabric to resemble the classic tissue work. Another innovation is single ikat weaving, to get ikat like motifs on the fabric. The Mangalgiri weavers are also experimenting with pure cotton motif borders, akin to South cotton sarees. Tie and dye yarns are also woven in to give a unique effect to the fabrics. It is the willingness of the weavers to experiment with patterns, colours and styles that make these fabrics stand out in an increasingly crowded textile market.
It is this spirit of innovation that has helped the weavers of Mangalgiri find a foothold for their age-old craft in today’s modern world.
Courtesy - CMAI - Apparel
